Many marine vehicles, such as boats with outboard motors, include a transom to support the outboard motor. The transom is typically a flat surface on the stern of a boat to which motor mounts attach, thereby holding the outboard motor and transmitting propulsion forces to the rest of the boat. Davits may be attached to the transom to allow dingys, inflatable rafts, and or other equipment to be carried on the boat. Ski-hitches, ski eyes (typically for ski towlines), lifting eyes, swim grids, platforms, and/or anchors may also be attached to the transom.
While the transom is typically constructed out of a material having sufficient strength to withstand towing forces, propulsion forces, and/or vibration forces during use and/or transportation of the boat, the transom is vulnerable to damage while the boat is towed behind an automobile with a trailer. In particular, an outboard motor is typically pivoted during trailer transportation of the boat to, among other things, reduce the aerodynamic drag profile of the boat and protect the outboard propeller from road contact and/or road debris. However, such a pivoted position may subject the transom to potentially damaging torsion/torque forces. To reduce the negative effect of these torsion forces, an outboard motor support, commonly referred to as a transom saver, is typically employed to transfer some of the forces from the outboard motor to the trailer.
Outboard motors, boats, boat hulls, and towing trailers are designed by a large number of manufacturers. As a result, a one-size-fits-all or universal transom saver to adequately protect the transom of a boat is very difficult to design. Additionally, while some transom savers function well with some motor/hull/trailer configurations, the transom saver may be rendered useless if the boat owner decides to install alternate peripherals or accessories to the transom. Peripherals and/or accessories may include, but are not limited to, davits, ski-hitches, ski eyes, lifting eyes, swim grids, platforms, and/or anchors. The addition of such peripherals and/or accessories to the transom may prevent the transom saver from connecting to locations of the trailer and/or outboard motor that enable safe and/or effective transfer of forces from the outboard motor to the trailer.